By Fr. George Dorbarakis
The feast of the Holy Great Martyr George is, according to our Church, especially joyful not only because the day of a saint’s martyrdom is the day of his glory, as he then enters triumphantly into the Kingdom of Heaven, but also because it always accompanies “the feast of feasts and the festival of festivals,” the Resurrection of the Lord. According to the Holy Hymnographer, “Behold, the spring of grace has dawned; the Resurrection of Christ has shone upon all, and together with it now shines the all-festal and light-bearing day of George the Martyr; come all, bearing light with divine zeal, let us celebrate with joy” (Kathisma of Matins). “The all-glorious memory of the servant has shone forth for us together with the Resurrection of Christ, in which, having gathered together, we the faithful celebrate with joy” (Ode 3).
So great indeed is the joy of the feast that the Holy Hymnographer, moving on a high level of lyricism, says that with the Great Martyr George even the proverb “one swallow does not make spring” is surpassed. “Behold for you also one delightful swallow, O God-gathered people, wondrously fulfills the grace of spring — George” (Ode 6). Where does the great grace of the Holy Great Martyr lie, so that he is called “a true friend of Christ, His champion, a most radiant lamp of the world, a most shining star, a most precious lamp” (Ode 4)? The answer given by the hymns of our Church is none other than that given for all the saints: his deep faith in Christ and his fervent love for Him and for people, that is, his perfect obedience to His teachings. Simply, what is the core of holiness is expressed by our hymnographers in many ways and on many levels. For example: “You followed the teachings of the Master” (Doxastikon of Vespers). “Having established desire by faith, having driven away fear by hope, you acquired the heavenly things by love, all-praised one” (Litia). “Being established in hope and fenced about by love and also by faith, O George, and being strengthened by the power of Christ, you have overthrown the delusion of idols” (Ode 3).
What the hymns of our Church emphasize above all is the strength of the Saint’s soul and his fervent zeal for Christ. The Hymnographer does not hesitate to describe George as “a lion" who, trusting in a mighty resolve, went of his own accord to the contest, because he despised the body as something destined to perish and wisely cared for his immortal soul (“Having trusted in a mighty resolve, you hastened of your own accord, like a lion, O glorious one, to the contest, despising the body as about to perish, but wisely caring for the immortal soul” - Kathisma of Vespers), as well as a new David who conquered the adversary Goliath, but with the missiles of his words. “You appeared young in battles, skillful in hand, like another brave David; for just as he defeated the adversary Goliath, so you also conquer, casting him down with the slingshot pebbles of your words” (Ode 1). And this leonine strength is interpreted by the Hymnographer not as rashness, but as a conscious expression of his longing and zeal for Christ, since ““desire conquered nature” (Doxastikon of Vespers). The Holy Great Martyr George is the confirmation of what the great Apostle Paul says, that love for Christ surpasses every fear — of death, of dangers, of any sufferings. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or danger, or sword? For I am persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ which is in Christ Jesus” (cf. Rom. 8). “Having been clothed in the armor of Christ, you were found, O George… burning with zeal for Christ… and you cried out to the lawless: neither beasts nor the wheel, neither fire nor the sword shall prevail to separate me from the love of Christ our God” (Kathisma of Vespers).
The point, however, on which the Hymnographer expends especially great inspiration is the Saint’s very name. The name George is taken as an occasion, as is often done with many saints, for the Hymnographer to describe, even briefly, the height of his holiness. And his name is understood in a double sense: both that George himself was a “farmer” in his time, in that he cultivated the land of human souls filled with thorns and delusion, planting in them the vine of the Orthodox faith; and that God was the farmer in the field of his own soul, making it bear all virtues. “You lived worthily of your name, O soldier George. For having taken up the cross of Christ upon your shoulders, you cultivated the land that had been made barren by the devil’s delusion, and having uprooted the thorny religion of idols, you planted the vine of the Orthodox faith… and you were shown to be a righteous cultivator of the Trinity” (Doxastikon of Vespers). “By the excellences of your contests you cultivated the better things, and you offered to Christ the labors of your fruits, all-blessed Martyr George” (Litia). “You became a noble field of God, O George, cultivated by martyric deeds” (Ode 1). “Having been cultivated by God, you were shown to be a most honorable cultivator of piety, having gathered for yourself the sheaves of virtues” (Kontakion).
It is evident, after all this, that the Holy Trophy-bearer, “imitating the Master Christ” (Ode 7), also acquired His power, so that he reigns together with Him (“you reign together with the King of the Powers”) (Ode 8), and becomes a ready protector and helper for every faithful person who calls upon him, wherever on earth. All the faithful have felt his love, and therefore his name is chanted everywhere. “There is neither land nor sea, nor city nor desert, where truly the streams of your miracles, like a sea, do not overflow, O Martyr; for your wondrous name is sung in all the earth” (Ode 7). Therefore: “Let us cry out to him: O Trophy-bearer, intercede for the salvation of our souls” (Doxastikon of the Praises).
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
